Innholdsfortegnelse for 23-Sep-2017 i Amateur Gardening

TopTip If you planted spring bulbs in a container last year and want to use it for something else, remove the bulbs, check they are healthy and then plant them in your border. WE may be running full pelt towards to coldest days of the year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t plan ahead for brighter, sunny days. This is the optimum time to plant spring bulbs, while the soil is still warm and frequently refreshed by autumn showers. Bulbs are versatile and will happily grow in borders and containers, while many varieties look amazing in lawns and under trees. There is an almost overwhelming range of varieties on offer, and even the ever-popular daffodils and tulips come in many shapes and sizes. All they ask for is a sunny…

1 Use a new or washed container and place crocks in its base to help drainage. Broken pots work well. 2 Add your compost. I am mixing John Innes No3 with container compost for nutrients and good drainage. 3 Plant the largest bulbs first. These daffodils are going in at three times their depth, one bulb-width apart. 4 Add compost and plant any smaller bulbs. I am mixing my daffs with crocus and Iris reticulata. 5 Label the pot and water it well. You may need to wrap the container in a layer of fleece during a prolonged freeze. 6 Place the pot on feet or a wheeled stand. This helps excess water escape and stops slugs sliding in!…

Your Gardening Week 1 While the tree was soaking in a bowl of water, I added crocks to the base of its new container to help drainage. 2 Teasing out its congested roots to help improve the uptake of water and nutrients was a struggle. I had to resort to using elbow grease and a garden hand fork! 3 As this is a long-term planting, I used John Innes No 3 compost. I left a 1in (2.5cm) gap at the top of the pot for watering and firmed the compost in well. 4 Top-dress with blood, fish and bone, before watering well and standing the pot on feet to give excess water an escape route.…

1 Carefully lift the plant with a spade, making sure its roots are undamaged and have plenty of soil kept around them. 2 Check the roots are healthy and that the plant is free from pests that, if left, may infest your greenhouse over winter. 3 Pot up the plant in John Innes No 1. Make sure the container is large enough to take all the roots. 4 Cut down the stems to within 4in (10cm) of the plant’s base to remove the soft growth. Use the removed material for cuttings.…

TopTip If you are emptying summer patio containers, use the compost as a mulch for your borders. Dig it in and it will help improve the soil’s structure. I ALWAYS think that the end of summer means things will slow down in the garden, but I seem to be frantically busy out there at the moment. The change of seasons means that winter is on its way and we need to ‘put the garden away’ for a few months and keep it safe and healthy for the duration. Deadheading and cutting back perennials is an on-going task, as are checking regularly for pests. Warm and sunny autumn days are some of the most beautiful of the year, but because the warmth arrives late and vanishes early, moisture never has a…

1 Set out garlic cloves and autumn planting shallots (and daffodils too) to start into growth before the soil cools any more. 2 Sow some annual herbs such as dill, chervil and parsley in pots in a greenhouse or sunny window for picking fresh. 3 As you do the pruning tie bundles of off-cuts into neat cylinders to make insect hotels you can hide inside evergreens. 4Spike balding turf patches with a fork, over-sow with grass seed, brush in, then brush in some spent potting compost.…

1 Ideal for thin-walled chillies such as ‘Cayenne’, ‘Prairie Fire’ and ‘Tabasco’ – using a needle and thread, string your chillies onto a length of cotton, then hang them in a sunny, dry spot for 2-3 weeks. Either leave them this way indefinitely or store in airtight jars either whole or blitzed for flakes. 2 Perfect for a glut, this quick method keeps the chillies’ juiciness in tact, making them great for adding to curries, making into chilli jam, or sprinkling through pasta dishes. Lay on a tray whole and open-freeze for a couple of hours, then bag up. This way they won’t stick together. 3 It’s important to firstly make your peppers acidic, so simmer them in malt vinegar for 10 minutes then drain. Add the chillies to a…

If you’re anything like me, then your pumpkin patch will be a sea of leaves this month. my favourite squash is ‘uchiki Kuri’ which you can’t beat for flavour. Winter squashes will keep into march if their skins are ripened well and fruits stored correctly. I won’t be picking my fruits until a little later on, but paramount to shelf life is a good skin finish. maximum sunlight and good air flow both encourage skin to harden and mature, so cut any leaves off that are shading your fruits now. Be careful not to scuff skins in the process. If you’re feeling pernickety you can also lay tiles under each fruit so they don’t end up with a discoloured base where they’ve been touching the earth.…

THIS is the time to buy your prepared hyacinth bulbs for Christmas flowers. Most types require eight to ten weeks of cold and dark conditions followed by three weeks of warmth and light to flower for the festive season. Select the largest bulbs you can find. I like to plant them in individual pots as they make wonderful gifts. Half fill each pot with moist compost and set the bulb in the centre of the pot. Wear gloves as hyacinths can cause a skin irritation. If planting more than one bulb in a pot they should not touch – give them a bit of space. Back fill around the bulb with compost so that the top of the bulb is still visible, then water lightly. Put the potted bulbs into…

With such a mild and dull August it is no surprise that some of our tomatoes have been slow to ripen. this year my uncle has grown the yellow cherry tomato ‘GoldKrone’ and the orange cherry ‘Sungold’. – both wonderful for snacking on. Sweet and good looking, they’ve been a hit at the table. And, being smaller, they have ripened well in the south-facing spot outside the back door. the larger fruits of ‘Moneymaker’ are still trying to ripen. to speed up this process i’ve picked the green fruits and put them in a bag with a ripe banana. the banana releases ethylene, which will help the ripening process. An alternative is to remove any leaves that are shading the fruits. if you have quite a few undersized tomatoes on…

I LOST a honey bush (Melianthus major) last winter but am determined to try to grow one again. This evergreen shrub has attractive pinnate leaves with a silvery blue glow. It’s fair to say that it is more at home in South Africa than Herefordshire but there’s a southfacing spot with its name on in my garden. As an insurance policy, I have bought two plants. One will be planted against the south-facing wall that will act as a radiator and the soil is well drained. To give the plant added protection I intend to leave the foliage unpruned, however messy it gets. The other will spend winter in a pot in the polytunnel. I’ll Pick of the pears let you know which one fairs best. Next week Martyn Cox AG’s…

PRUNING FloribundaS hang on to their foliage over winter, so it’s a good idea to reduce top growth by a third in late october - to discourage wind rock. The main pruning is done in January and February, using sharp secateurs such as Felcos. Generally, floribunda roses should be cut back to 18in (45cm); for shorter types go a little lower. The aim is to create an airy cup shape with roughly five new stems. Start by removing the 3ds - dead, dying or diseased wood – then take out any branches that cross over and rub together. if your rose has developed a woody base, be brave and cut it away with a pruning saw. FEEDING Feed in March with a high-potash, pelleted rose food or Vitax Q4. The…

Always choose the right grass for the right place – particularly in a small garden with a mix of sun and shade: your grasses will look better and be far easier to look after. Cut back deciduous grasses in early spring just as the new shoots are beginning to appear. Evergreen grasses don’t like being cut when dormant, so only cut them when they’re actively growing during the spring and summer, and then only if they look tired. Otherwise, just tidy away any unsightly leaves. Some of the most popular grasses – the blue festucas and the tactile Stipa tenuissima, for instance – are quite short-lived. Divide these every three or so years to help keep them healthy and looking good.…

QI am a Police Cadet leader and my unit would like to help a family with a disabled child. We would like to create a sensory garden – what are good plants? Vicky Montfort, Stoke on Trent AWhat a lovely idea! Use the internet and books for inspiration, but also check out local sources who can tell you which plants will be most successful in the local conditions. In fact, almost any plants could fit the bill for at least one of our senses so it is a matter of choosing those that will grow best in the conditions provided. The list below is only the very beginning and I have selected plants that are lowmaintenance and should take care of themselves without too much attention. Even if you don’t…

Write to us: Ask the AG experts, Amateur Gardening magazine Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hants, GU14 7BF. Email us: amateurgardening@timeinc.com QMy ‘Invincible’ pear has cropped heavily, but the skins have bad markings on the outside. Once peeled they are perfect, although the pears are smaller this year. What causes this?? Joan Smith, Norfolk AI think that your ‘Invincible’ pears, whose fruit skins are blemished with black spots, are suffering from scab disease. Leaves develop black marks, too. Unfortunately, there are no fungicides that are effective against it. The best way to control it is to rake up and bin or burn fallen leaves and encourage resistance to this disease by feeding with 1oz (28g) per sq m of sulphate of potash. Apply it monthly, from April…

QWhat is this plant? Peter Driver (via email) AThe plant is Fasicularia bicolor, our hardiest bromeliad that can withstand temperatures down to 2°C (36°F). In summer it has a dense spray of blue flowers embraced by ivorywhite bracts. It grows to around 20in (50cm) and can be positioned outdoors in a frost-free garden. Grow it in ericaceous compost and grit and site it in a sheltered spot in full sun. If a spell of very cold weather is forecast, move it into a frost-free greenhouse for the duration. QPlease can you tell me what this plant is? It looks similar to groundsel. Heather Whent (via email) AThe plant in question is Canadian fleabane (Conyza canadensis), a North American introduction which has colonised most parts of the British Isles. It is…

DOUBLE UP FOR 1p Clematis ‘Winter beauty’ is a must-have climber for covering sheltered walls and fences, or for a cool conservatory. this stunning clematis bears waxy, bell shaped, creamy-white flowers from December to February that fade to pure white as winter passes to sparkle against the lush green foliage until spring. Height: 13ft (4m). spread: 4ft (1.2m). supplied as a 3in (7cm) potted plant. Buy 1 for £14.99 n Double up for 1p and buy 2 for £15 To order, call direct on 0844 573 2021 quoting AG802Z (lines open 9am-6pm, seven days a week OR order online today at ??thompson-morgan.com/amateurgardening OR complete the coupon below in block caPitals. all orders will be acknowledged by letter or email, advising you of the expected despatch date. this offer is subject…

ALLOTMENT gardeners say they have been “reduced to tears” as bulldozers threaten to flatten their plots. A big slice of Cemetery Road Allotments in Huddersfield is facing the death sentence to make way for a new school. The council site, at Birkby, has over 100 plots but more than a third will be lost when builders move in. Older tenants have been deeply upset by the news. Pat Worthington, chair of the site’s association, and her husband, John, have plots which they have worked for eight years. Their plots will become part of the school’s playing fields and car park. “Some plotholders have been here for 30 years and they don’t want to move and start again. It is a difficult thing to do when you are in your seventies,”…

23-24: Malvern Autumn Show, Three Counties Showground, Malvern WR13 6NW. 01684 584900, rhs.org.uk/Malvern- Flower-Show 23-24: Autumn Plant Fair, RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET. 0845 265 8071, rhs.org.uk/gardens/hydehall 23-24: Plant Heritage Late Summer fair, RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Rosemoor, Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH. 0203 176 5830; rhs.org.uk/gardens/rosemoor 23: Plant Health, Godinton House Gardens, Godinton Park, Godinton Lane, Ashford, Kent TN23 3BP. 01233 643854. 24: Heather Society Show, RHS Wisley, Wisley Lane, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB. 0845 6121 253, rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley 24: Autumn Plant Fair, Scampston Hall Walled Garden, Yorks YO17 8NG. 01944 759111, scampston.co.uk 29 Sept-1 Oct: Asters and Autumn Colours, Brightwater Gardens, Saxby, Market Rasen LN8 2DQ. 01673 878820, brightwatergardens.co.uk Please check that the event is still going ahead before leaving home. If you…

Worth £2 7 .96 THIS cheery selection of dwarf narcissus is bound to put a big smile on your face next spring. The exciting collection of miniature daffoldils brings together four well known varieties, for a range of colours and flower forms that will brighten up borders, rockeries and patio containers. Height: up to 12in (30cm). Spread: up to: 6in (15cm). Bulb size 8/10. Collection comprises the following bulb varieties: Narcissus ‘Martinette’ x 15 Narcissus ‘Niveth’ x 15 Narcissus ‘Golden Dawn’ x 10 Narcissus ‘Tête-a-Tête’ x 20 *just pay £5.65 postage Other special offers: OFFER 1 Tulip ‘Red Impression’ Spectacularly large and long-lasting blooms on tall, sturdy stems make this tulip a border sensation! Easy to grow, with superb weather resistance, they will return reliably year after year. Height: 22in (56cm). Spread: 8in (20cm).…

Share your stories, tips and pictures with us and if your letter is published you will receive a new book. When you write, please indicate your special area of interest! DURING a visit to Cornwall we purchased a bronze metal heron much admired by our friends and it sits by our large garden pond. Last week, we were delighted to see it joined by the local heron. Unfortunately, for the heron our pond does not contain any fish! It is a wildlife pond containing newts, pond scaters, water boatmen, deep living beetles, dragonflies and damselflies etc. There are also frogs and toads but these are normally well hidden. Definitely a question of,...“Hope springs eternal for the heron.” Jim Smith, Stockport Wendy says: Are decoy herons effective, anyone?…

Wait awhile: Don’t plant tulip bulbs until November. The warm, damp autumn climate creates perfect conditions for the fungal disease ‘tulip fire’. 1 Globular alliums come in all heights and sizes, from ping-pong balls to footballs. They are usually an imperious purple or a creamy white. 2 Who can resist the velvety beauty of anemones, whether they are gemcoloured Anemone de Caan or the starpetalled Anemone blanda (windflower). 3 My absolute favourite spring flowers are snake-head fritillaries, which are unsurpassed when left to naturalise in meadows, lawns and under trees. 4 Big, blowsy daffodils and narcissus are not for me, but I adore perky dwarf varieties like ‘Tete a Tete’. They are great for rockeries and the front of beds.…

TopTip Things to leave off your heap include perennial weeds with ripe seedheads that will germinate in the compost, pet waste and litter and cooked foods, as these will rot, smell bad and attract vermin. AUTUMN is one of the busiest times of year for compost creation and if done properly it will leave you with a glorious pile of crumbly ‘black gold’. Making your own compost is simple and makes such financial sense when you consider how much garden centres charge for a sack of multi-purpose and how many you get through, on average, each year. How you make your compost is up to you and the space you have. Plastic ‘Dalek’ bins are popular, compact, and do the job well. Alternatively, you can build an opentopped wooden bin.…

TopTip Leave it until the last moment to bring your tree indoors at Christmas. Stand it in a cool spot, away from direct sources of heat and return it to the garden as soon as possible after the festival. I KNOW we have only just arrived in autumn, but to my mind it’s never too early to mention the ‘C’ word. So, if you have a potted Christmas tree, check it over to make sure it is healthy and give it a boost so it will look its best in three months’ time. Container Christmas trees rarely live for more than a few years because their roots are constricted. You can plant them in the ground, but do remember that they can grow to more than 100ft (30m) tall and…

SEEING a colourful en mass planting of 140 different zinnia cultivars at an RHS Wisley trial recently made me think about which would be best for specific garden uses. For height the latest compact types make excellent ground covering bedding plants and mound forming specimens in containers. For cut flowers then the taller cultivars, up to 3ft (1m) high, are ideal. However there are also intermediate kinds, tall enough to cut, not too tall for beds and not so tall they need support in exposed positions. Flower shapes and colours are also considerations. Most mixtures are very vibrant colours, including psychedelic bi-colours, while some of the latest introductions have rayonette, mounded centres, which look very attractive. I have grown a row of taller kinds across the vegetable patch for years…

WE are approaching the time when tender perennials need protecting from winter’s chill, either by lifting and storing undercover or by mulching and covering with a cloche. In case they don’t survive, take cuttings from them now. You can use the off-cuts removed when you pruned them back after lifting (see p7). To do so, cut a length of healthy, non-flowering growth using sharp, clean scissors or secateurs. Remove the lower leaves and pinch out the soft tip. Dip the cut end in hormone rooting powder or gel and insert it into a pot of dampened seed and cuttings compost mixed with perlite or grit. Seal the pot in a clean plastic bag and place it somewhere light and warm – an indoor windowsill will be better than a greenhouse…

THE vast majority of fruit and veg growers are also enthusiastic cooks, and what with today’s eclectic tastes there aren’t many meals that chillies can’t be added to. Crab linguine, stir-fry pork, lamb madras, griddled tuna steak – all benefit from a generous portion of these sizzling fruits. I’m harvesting my ‘Cayenne’ chillies now, which is one of my absolute favourites for yield and heat. The plants are so prolific that I’ve picked about three year’s worth in five minutes! If stored properly they will indeed keep for years so I’m keen to preserve as many as possible. There are various ways quoted but over time I’ve tweaked the methods to perfection. Here’s what I do: (right).…

Next week: ‘Blet’ medlars, harvest grapes, lift tender veg tubers, pick figs, tidy-up and divide herbs Autumn is prime time to weigh up how your fruit stock performed this year, then decide if you’re happy to stick with it or scrap it for something new. Does that sound a little harsh? Perhaps, but there’s no point being sentimental over something you might well be eating for twenty years or more. Specialist fruit nurseries leave us spoilt for choice, so order-in a few catalogues now or browse online, ready for the prime planting month of november. many fruit crops are simple – just read up on what characteristics you might like (eg size, disease-resistance, flavour, season) and place your order. this rings true for classics like strawberries, currants, gooseberries, figs, grapes,…

“The comma’s food plant is wild hop” ISPENT a long time researching and thinking before putting pen to paper and writing my book The Living Jigsaw. The whole process made me realise that having a few undisturbed places in your garden can make a huge difference to your wildlife. For instance my wild patch against the wall, which is full of honeysuckle and roses, is not properly gardened and deliberately so. This is where my hedgehog, or is it hedgehogs, build summer roosts with moss and fallen beech leaves. It’s also the best spot for small rodents, as my less than eco-friendly moggie Poppy Cat knows. My most surprising finding didn’t involve my own garden though. I was reading the State of Nature Report 2013 (downloadable on the internet) and…

Tip: Country gardeners may have a feast of blackberries, sloes, and damsons in their hedgerows. Don’t miss out – get picking this week it’S time to turn our attention to autumn container colour. Much of the summer bedding is ending and garden centres and nurseries are stocked up with autumn interest. Keen to display my autumn colour in a country way i’ve decided to plant up some old baskets and, as luck would have it, my mother has a whole porch full of them. Some are not up to shopping with anymore so are ideal for my purposes. they probably won’t last more than one winter outside but it’s better than throwing them out. if you fancy giving this a go, look out for baskets at car boots and charity…

WITH tree planting time fast approaching it’s sensible to start researching the right tree for your garden. I have recently lost an old pear tree in mine and am keen to replace it. As there is so much choice I turned to experts at nearby nursery Frank P Matthews (??frankpmatthews.com) in Worcestershire. It’s always wise to head to a specialist tree nursery to ensure you buy the right specimen for your plot. Pear ‘Obelisk’ was a top recommendation. It’s self-fertile so you don’t need to plant more than one tree. With a tidy upright habit and great tasting fruits it’s a popular choice for a small garden. Hot on its heels is ‘Conference’. This is a good all-rounder and a reliable variety. It’s a heavy cropper and self-fertile. The experts…

I’M a huge fan of Nigella the bighearted TV chef and I hold her floral namesake in equally high esteem. Nigella is a cottage garden favourite, a hardy annual that is easy to grow and long to flower. Its seed pods are popular for indoor arranging. This week’s free seeds, Nigella ‘Miss Jekyll’, come in a soothing shade of blue. You can sow them now or wait until spring, though autumn-sown plants usually flower earlier and better. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, thin them out and protect from pests. Keep their soil damp and they will put on a terrific show from May right through to early autumn. Nigella ‘Miss Jekyll’ is named in honour of the horticulturalist Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) who created hundreds of gardens in…

Natasha Richardson This feminine, highly-scented Harkness floribunda provides an abundance of clear-pink blooms with an old-fashioned look. Foliage is healthy and lavish and, at just 3ft/90cm high, it slots perfectly into borders. Friends Forever Award winner featuring glossy green foliage with fully double, moderately fragrant medium pink blooms that have a wavy edged look. Flowers from June to September (and sometimes beyond) H: 31/2ft (110cm). Super Trouper Bred in Cheshire by Gareth Fryer, this Gold Standard compact, slightly fragrant rose has dark green foliage and plenty of vivid orange flowers. Mixes well with blue and purple perennials. H: 21/2ft (80cm). Special Child Also known as ‘Taniripsa’, this Gold Standard floribunda has rich green foliage and a hint of soft pink to the white flowers so it doesn’t look glacial. With…

QWhich plants are perennials? Brenda B (Via email) APerennials grow from year to year and can be trees, shrubs, climbers or border plants. If the plants you have in mind are not evergreen, stems will die back to crown buds an inch or so above the soil surface. In spring, when the temperature rises, buds that have been dormant over winter will spring into growth. The only time you need to divide a perennial and replant vigorous outer portions is when the centre of the plant weakens and dies. The best time is in March or April, or October and November.…

QCould you identify this plant in my garden? It is about 3ft (1m) high and 5ft (1.2m) wide. Lyn Eldred (via email) AI think this is the dreaded ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria). It grows to a height of about 3ft (1m) and spreads widely. This vigorous and invasive weed spreads by underground rhizomes. They can be removed by forking, but are hard to eradicate completely. The best option is to spray with the weedkiller glyphosate (e.g. Roundup), which travels down to the roots killing the whole plant. Glyphosate kills most plants so protect those you want to keep, both from spray and the spray drift. There does need to be plenty of leafy growth for the weedkiller to work, and allow around two weeks for it to take affect. You…

The latest stories from around the UK Got a story? e-mail: marc.rosenberg@timeinc.com Love Your Garden presenter Alan Titchmarsh has called on the UK’s 27million gardeners to help save RHS Garden Wisley, which is under threat from a road expansion scheme. The RHS said that Highways England’s proposal to widen the A3, part of plans to improve junction 10 of the M25, would see over 500 trees and their wildlife habitat destroyed at the nation’s flagship garden, which spans 240 acres and attracts 1.2million visitors per year. If given the green light, over 10,000 square metres of Grade II-listed garden would be “grabbed,” according to the RHS. It fears that magnificent giant redwood trees will be felled while air and noise pollution will increase. “We must protect our gardens” Alan Titchmarsh…

A SEED supplier claims to have “super charged” a new veg range which promises to offer ultra-fast germination times. Optigrow is a new range of 20 garden veg varieties for 2018. All have been treated with a “revolutionary Swedish seed priming technology” that was previously only available to farmers and commercial growers. In trials it was claimed that nearly 80 per cent of Optigrow-treated Carrot ‘Amsterdam’ seed germinated within 50 hours from sowing, compared to 90 hours for the standard seed. Spokesman Ian Cross said: “The launch of the Optigrow range is the most exciting development since the introduction of F1 hybrid seed. These super-charged seeds will take the worry out of vegetable sowings and bring benefits through to harvest.” Mr Fothergill’s, the firm behind Optigrow, claimed the seeds produce…

We try before you buy ABULB planter can make the job of planting spring and summer bulbs so much easier. There are several different types, from a simple metal tube you thrust into the soil and lift out a soil plug, to ones with a sprung mechanism that drops the plug back into the hole on top of your bulb. There are cheap and cheerful versions, and posh, pricey ones too. Here we’ve tested those for planting larger sized bulbs. All were used on light, recently dug, moist and well-prepared soil, to represent a flower bed, and all worked well in this situation. They were also tested on compacted turf where you might want to naturalise bulbs in a lawn. If planting in heavy or compacted soils or naturalising bulbs…

Aftercut Autumn All In One Lawn Feed & Moss Killer is formulated as a granule to keep your lawn strong and healthy over the winter months. Applied between early September and mid-November it eradicates moss and revitalizes grass by adding essential nutrients. We have five Even-Flo spreader packs to give away, each worth £9.99 and offering coverage of up to 80m2. See below for details of how to enter the prize draw. How to enter Send your name and address on a postcard to Aftercut Autumn All In One Draw, Amateur Gardening, 2 Pinehurst, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF. Or you can email your details to ag_giveaway@timeinc.com, heading the email Aftercut Autumn All In One Draw. The closing date is 26 September 2017.…

Write to: Wendy Humphries, Amateur Gardening, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7BF or email: amateurgardening@timeinc.com Star letter HELLO from our garden in Dorset. We opened for the National Garden Scheme for the first time and the lovely people that came gave us rave reviews. The garden was neglected when we moved in and we gave ourselves the challenge of transforming it in just five months. We got married in August 2015 and held the reception in the garden. A year later, we invited the NGS to see our garden and were delighted to be included for opening this year. As open day loomed we began to appreciate the hard work that garden owners put in before the public visit. I have never baked cakes before but watched GBBO…

I WAS pleased with my wigwam of runner beans in my back garden, full of flowers and tasty beans. Then, disaster struck! Strong winds sent the beans and wigwam crashing to the ground. Luckily, help was at hand from a friend, who surveyed the tangle of beans and canes lying on the ground and to my surprise, brought a wooden step ladder. This proved to be an ideal support for the surviving bean plants, which have twined around the ladder’s rungs. Elegant it is not – but my supply of beans is now secured for the rest of the season. Mrs G Voiels, Southport…

I WASN’T brought up to draw attention to the ailments of others, but if you’re reading this you’re probably sitting close to someone with ‘compulsive plant-buying-bingitis’. CPBB isn’t a disorder that the medical profession recognises (I’ve made it up!) but anyone with a passion for plants will know the symptoms. The acquisition of ever-more flowers for already brim-full borders can cost a lot of money, but on the bright side it does force those who are afflicted to be creative and plant into soil where previous purchases already grow. “Under roses is always a challenge” One such spot is under roses, an area that’s always a challenge, as new plants must cope with thorny nutrient-hogging company as well as the indignity of being stood on while the roses are pruned.…

Bulbs do best in fertile, sunny, free-draining soil. If you have heavy soil, dig in lots of grit and well-rotted compost or manure to improve drainage and structure. Plant bulbs at three times their own depth and a bulb’s width apart. Plant them singly, or dig a pit or trench and plant them en mass. Plant them in odd numbers to create a better look than even numbers. Strange, but true! Water thenm in afterwards and mark where they are so you don’t dig them up while they are dormant.…

Another way of improving your soil is by using green manures. These are fast-growing plants, mainly legumes, that are allowed to grow and flower in empty soil. They are then cut down, left to wilt and dug in to improve the soil’s structure and nutrient content – legumes fix nitrogen in the soil. They can also protect the soil from erosion and suppress the growth of weeds. After digging the plants in, leave them to break down for a few weeks before sowing or planting.…

More plants please: Take cuttings of tender plants when you lift them (see P12 for details) and plant them out after frosts next spring. Although we usually escape bitterly cold winters here in the south, I like to lift most of my tender perennials and overwinter them in the relative cosiness of the greenhouse. Although it isn’t heated, it is still warmer than outside and I have some fleece to hand for swaddling plants if an exceptionally hard frost is forecast. Fuchsias and pelargoniums go undercover, but I leave the penstemons in the ground with a thick layer of mulch over their roots. they are further protected by this year’s foliage, which should be left in place until after the frosts finish next spring. When you lift tender plants, pot…

1 Nine to a dozen plants of low bedding kinds, including Z. marylandica ‘Zahara Series’ and Z. x hybrida ‘Profusion Series’ will fill a square metre with colour all summer. 2 When grown for cutting either pinch out the first bud, or cut a short stemmed flower to stimulate production of long stemmed flowers. 3 Zinnias are excellent annuals to grow in a row across the vegetable patch where they will provide cut flowers for months.…

“Pick the apples on a dry day” RIGHT now you can be laying away a store of fresh apples to eat or cook for the next four or five months. Even if you don’t have your own there are plenty of pickyour- own orchards as well as many trees laden with apples people don’t want just there for the asking. During the next few weeks autumn warmth is maturing those varieties of apples developed for keeping rather than for eating off the tree. If you’d tried to store earlier apples they would have gone soft and pappy by now. Later ripening apples, however, were selected for keeping well into winter with many capable of being stored till the start of spring. The original reason Cox’s Orange Pippin was so successful…

WHILE it’s conventional to think of strawberries as only a summer crop (remember Wimbledon fortnight way back in June?) it might come as a surprise that there are a few varieties that bear a crop in August, September and October. Known as ever-bearer, remontant or perpetual varieties, the only one worth growing in my opinion is ‘Mara des Bois’ (though you’ll also come across others like ‘Flamenco’, ‘Albion’ and ‘Finesse’). It wins hands down on flavour for me, which is why I’ve got a large row planted here. To extend their season, cover perpetuals now with rigid plastic or glass cloches (this works better than flimsy fleece). It affords crops a bit of insulation, ensuring harvests well into October – and even November if you’re lucky!…

PICKIng your own fruit and veg is one thing, but harvesting your own almonds, cobnuts and walnuts? that’s horticultural decadence on a whole new level! I have cobnuts at home, and where I’m head gardener has almonds and walnuts, so my Christmas stocking will be decidedly plump this December. festivities are a long way off however, and keeping your harvest safe until then takes effort. the major hurdle is getting to your nuts before the squirrels do – these pests have a voracious appetite and will merrily hoard your whole crop if allowed. On single-stemmed trees like almonds and walnuts you can fit a squirrel baffle to prevent them climbing the trunk, then you can just harvest in autumn. On cobnuts and filberts it’s a case of jumping in and…

IT’S time to pull the last of my carrots this week. With a whole row left there is no chance of eating our way through the crop, so storage is on my mind. The imperfect carrots will be consumed straight away or made into soup and frozen. It’s not worth risking storing carrots with any damage as the rot will soon run through the whole lot. Last year I stored the perfect carrots in our cellar, which remains at 6?C all year. They were placed in an old wheelbarrow and covered with a damp towel. This storage technique kept them going into early November. My aim this year is to keep some home-grown carrots for our family Christmas feast. To do this I have removed their green tops, brushed off…

1 Line your basket with plastic, securing it with a stapler and piercing drainage holes in it. three quarters fill with compost. 2 Position your plants to get the design right. i bought a tray of mini evergreen shrubs from B&Q and some cyclamen. 3Once planted backfill with compost. Firm in place and water. if you want to hang the basket reinforce the handle with strong wire. 4 this basket planting should last until spring, at which point the evergreen shrubs can be planted into the garden.…

KEEN to add more winter interest to my garden I’m taking hardwood cuttings of Viburnum X bodnantense ‘Dawn’. To do this, select strong healthy shoots from this year’s growth. Very old, woody stems or young weak stems won’t do. Cut each stem to a length of about 5in (12cm) remove any foliage and push each cutting into a pot of compost (the right way up!). Leave about 2in (5cm) above the soil level. Label pots with a date and name and place the cuttings in a cold frame. Water occasionally and wait for signs of growth in the spring.…

Nigella will self-seed at the drop of a hat and is popular with people who like to save money by collecting seeds as they go. The seeds are also used by chefs and gobbled down by species of garden bird, particularly finches. Originating from the Middle East (they are mentioned in the Old Testament), the seeds are used in baking and to top flatbreads. They also add interest to eggs, salads, rice and vegetables. If caught before they ripen and split, Nigella seedheads look good as part of indoor arrangements.…

Ponds (pictured, above) are an instant turn-off for families with kids because they’re a drowning risk. So if you don’t have one and you’re thinking of selling up, don’t build one. Ornaments – people are terrible snobs, so put the gnomes, fairies and cute dog-in-a-basket statues into storage before prospective buyers visit. Leylandii – fine if it’s kept under control (preferably with the leading shoots removed), but a nightmare if left to grow to towering heights unhindered. Artificial grass – actually listed as a ‘positive’ in the survey mentioned here but we disagree. It’s expensive, gets dirty and is no substitute for the real thing. Trees close to the house – another one that’s likely to be flagged up in a survey because the roots can cause foundation issues.…

Luzula nivea With attractive tufts of white flowers in June to July, this evergreen grass is slow growing and makes a good groundcover plant for a spot in full sun or partial shade. It likes moist, well-drained soil but will cope in dry conditions. Height 2ft (60cm), spread 1½ft (45cm). Anemanthele lessoniana Pheasant’s tail grass is a great pick for a dry spot and will thrive in shade or sun. It forms mounds of evergreen bronzegreen foliage that turn yellow, red and orange in the autumn. Height 3ft (90cm), spread 3ft 3in (1m). Carex elata ‘Aurea’ AGM Bowles’ Golden Sedge will brighten any shady spot and likes moist conditions. It is a compact carex with gold and green striped arching foliage that is semievergreen, plus small brown flowers in early…

QWe have a pair of mature cabbage palms (Torbay palms) with several trunks, 15ft (4.5m) high. One has dropped almost every leaf but not the other. Should I chop it down? Leo Wheeler, Kidderminster A Cordyline australis might be palmlike in appearance but these large shrubby plants from New Zealand are more closely related to asparagus. They lend a sub-tropical look to milder and coastal gardens and have a special connection with the English Riviera at Torbay, appearing on the iconic tourist information posters by graphic designer John Gorham. Cordylines tolerate wind and salt spray but at temperatures below -5oC (23oF) they begin to suffer. When one plant of an almost identical pair starts to go downhill, it always sparks a mystery, but microclimates and soil conditions vary considerably in…

QWhat has done this to our lawn? The fences have no holes for anything to crawl under. B K Nellar (via email) A I think that badgers have ripped up your lawn in their quest for worms and beetles. Though you tell me that such an animal is unable to enter, the amount of turf removed indicates that a large creature is the culprit. Have another look at the garden’s boundary and see if there is a gap where badgers might have gained access. If birds, specially rooks, dig for worms, they are less aggressive and turf is seldom badly torn. Unfortunately, there are no chemical deterrents that effectively stop badgers from entering a garden. A physical barrier is the only way to keep them out.…

QI am not sure what to do with my Eucomis over winter, as I know it is frost tender. Please can you advise me? Anne Hinks, Derby AEucomis is not fully hardy, so protect it from severe frost by mulching the root area with 4in (10cm) of crumbly, well-rotted garden compost or manure. Additionally, when it dies back for winter, cover it with a large pot mantled with a thick layer of the above organic material or wrapped in fleece. Remove this insulation in spring when frosts are no longer a threat and new shoots are forming.…

C. cirrhosa var. purpurascens ‘Lansdowne Gem’ Most winter flowering clematis have pale blooms so the claret midwinter flowers of this evergreen variety are welcome. citrusscented, likes a sunny spot and reaches 12ft (3.5m). C. x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’ Produces plenty of white flowers with yellow centres, against fine evergreen foliage from February to april. likes sun and reaches 6-8ft (1.8-2.4m). C. armandii ‘Apple Blossom’ this cultivar of the familiar evergreen almond scented species bears pink-tinged blooms from late winter at 8ft (2.5m). site in a south facing spot protected from cold winds. C. ‘Pixie’ a dwarf evergreen clematis producing masses of small green buds opening to tiny primrose flowers against ferny-leaves from late winter. Reaches 3ft (1m) .…

GIANT pumpkin gurus Ian and Stuart Paton are hoping to smash records when growers and gardeners compete at a giant veg challenge this autumn. The twins, from Southampton, who are famous for growing monster veg, are nurturing four “pumpkin babies” which are piling-on 60lb (4 stone) per day. They smashed the record in 2016 with a pumpkin that weighed-in at 1016kg (160 stone) – but now plan to beat it again. For the first time this year, the pumpkins are being kept at a constant 180C (640F), even throughout the night. And the fruits are expanding rapidly. The official weigh-in will be on 7 October at the Jubilee Sailing Trust’s Autumn Pumpkin Festival at the Royal Victoria Country Park in Southampton. For the first time, the competition will also include…

AMATEUR Gardening is upping sticks from its seaside offices in Poole and moving to Farnborough. Britain’s oldest weekly gardening magazine will join other titles published by TimeInc UK at its specialist base in Hampshire. Readers should post letters, Q&A questions and editorial correspondence to the magazine’s new address: Amateur Gardening, TimeInc UK, Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough Business Park, Farnborough, Hants, GU14 7BF. AG’s main editorial telephone number, ? 01202 440840, will divert to the magazine’s new offices for now. AG has been based in Poole, Dorset, since the 1970s.…

Brass duck £20 + p&p £4.95 01788 822301 garden-products.co.uk Practical yet decorative and fun, this brass duck is a fully functioning garden tap. It’s a standard 1?2in BSP pipe fitting with a 3?4in adaptor that’ll connect up to most hoses and watering systems. Solar pump £199 + free p&p 01226 388889 ukwaterfeatures.com Run this garden pump feature on natural sunlight with the remote solar panel included. And if the clouds roll in you’ve got the option of switching on the lithium battery back-up button. Pump also has a white LED light ring. Chocolate tap £12.95 + p&p £3.95 yumbles.com Looking for an edible present for a gardening friend? A Chocolate tap could be just the answer. The shimmery finish is so metal-like that you’d be hard pushed to tell the…

amateurgardening.com Editorial offices: Amateur Gardening, Time Inc (UK), Pinehurst 2, Pinehurst Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 7BF ? 01202 440840 Fax: 01202 440860 Email: amateurgardening@timeinc.com Subscriptions: ? 020 3148 6340 Group editor: Garry Coward-Williams Gardening editor: Ruth Hayes Consumer editor: Julia Heaton News editor: Marc Rosenberg Designers: Al Rigger and Del Shults Office manager / brand assistant: Roz Jones Marketing: Samantha Blakey Classified advertising ? 020 3148 2858 Advertising director: Kate Barnfield ? 020 3148 2575 Publisher: Gareth Beesley Managing director: Simon Owen Group managing director: Oswin Grady Group magazine editor: Garry Coward-Williams…

MAKE sure the area is free of weeds, then rake the soil to create a ‘biscuit crumb’ tilth. Scrape 1in (2cm) drills in the soil with a cane. If you’re after a dense meadow effect, space rows 6in (15cm) apart or three times that, to walk between them so you can gather flowers. Sow seed thinly into drills, cover lightly with soil and label the ends. Most hardy annuals need no protection but if you have a very cold garden, cover with a cloche. Sowing in rows helps you spot unwanted weeds, and as the tops close over in spring, they soon disappear.…